Parking register



Aug. 3, 1937. R, W BABSQN 2,088,683

PARKING REGISTER Original Filed Feb. 13, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l WWK/jah@ #l 88 Aug 3, 1937' R. w. BABsoN A 2,088,683

PARKING REGISTER Original Filed Feb. 13, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 MUN TUE WED TPIlU Il S/T 57N Aug. 3, 1937. R. w. BAESON PARKING REGISTER Original Filed Feb. l5, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 R. w. BASSON PARKING REGI STER Original Filed Feb. 13, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 SUN Aug. 3, R, W BABSON 2,088,683

PARKING REGISTER Original Filed Feb. 13, 1932- 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lf3/7W %jfm @M www4 n? W Patented ug. 3, 1937` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PARKING REGISTER Roger W. Babson, Wellesley, Mass.

14 Claims. (Cl. 194-6) The present invention is concerned with recording means and apparatus. The embodiment herein illustrated is associated with means operated by a parked automobile to make a record of the act of parking and the time thereof, the time of departure from the parking place, the time of making a payment for the privilege of parking; and/or other information for related purposes, or other purposes. The said embodiment of the invention is a division of my parent application entitled Paxil-:ing register, filed February 13, 1932, Serial No. 592,699, on which Letters Patent No. 2,028,037 were granted January 14, 1936. However, I claim herein the benefit of all novel principles and characteristics of the apparatus, and parts thereof, shown herein, for all purposes to which they may be put.

In the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment ofthe invention, showing the forward end of an automobile .parked adjacent thereto;-

Fig. 2 is a plan View on a somewhat larger scale than Fig. 2 of the casing shown in,Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the casing, and o f the main switch therein, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4 is an elevation of the recordingapparatus which is contained within the casing shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig, 6.is a fragmentary perspective view of the screw and half nut by which the recording means and its controllers are moved transversely of the record sheet;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary section of the casing taken on line 'I-I of Fig. 2, showing the recording mechanism in elevation as seen from the right of Fig. 4:;

Fig. 8 isa fragment of a record made by the use of this recording mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a diagram of the electrical and mechanical parts of the recording mechanism, showing their interrelationship;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. l showing a variant of the recording apparatus;

Fig. 11 is an elevation of the recording means shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a fragment of a record produced by this last mentioned means;

Fig. 13 is an electrical diagram of the controls for the additional elements illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11.

Like reference characters designate the same parts wherever they occur in all the figures.

In the present embodiment of the invention for use in recording the incidents of parking, and payment for parking time, of an automobile, the apparatus is contained in a casing I, which may have the form of a post, erected on the side- 5 walk adjacent to a space in which parking of cars diagonal or square to the curb is permitted; or it may be set up elsewhere adjacent to a parking space. An actuator 2 is pivoted to the side of the casing at a height such that it may l0 be pressed upon and moved by the bumper 3, either the front or rear bumper, of a parked automobile. In this illustration the actuator has the form of a door or shutter connected by hinges 5 to the body of the post and extending l5 across an adjacent opening. It is equipped with rollers 6 in suitable positions to avoid rubbing or scraping, and marring, of the automobile bumper, and also to avoid wear on the actuator itself.

A massive ledge 'I is formed on the side of the post above the actuator as a guard to prevent operation of, or injury to, the actuator by vehicles traveling close to the curb. It will be understood, however, that the details just described are illustrative merely and not limiting 25 of the invention here claimed.

The top of the casing is formed by a cover I3, which may be adjusted rotatably, and also raised to give access to the interior. It is hinged at I6 to a ring I1, which is threaded on the upper end of the post and provided with a set screw for locking it in any position. A lock I9 (Fig. '1) prevents opening of the cover by any one except an authorized person who holds the key to the lock.

The actuator 2 controls the recording mechao nism. It may be considered as the main or primary controller. Where,as in this instance, the control is effected electrically, this actuator operates an electric switch. A convenient switch for the purpose is shown in Fig. 3, consisting of a guide of insulating material having separated contacts 20 and 2 I, and telescopic slide 22, also of insulating material, carrying a complemental contact 23. The guide is pivoted at 24 to the 45 body of the post and the slide is connected by a pivot 25 with a guide link 26, pivoted at 21 to the post, and with a connecting link 28 pivoted at 29 to the actuator. A spring 30 connected .at opposite ends to the link 26 and to the post, 50

normally holds the parts in the position shown in Fig.,3, where contact 23 is in engagement with contact 2I. Movement of the actuator caused by a parked automobile shifts the contact 23 into engagement with the other complemental contact 2.0. Current for operating the mechanism is brought from a suitable source,4

(such as the electric service supply of the community) to the contact 23 by a conductor 3| which is electrically connected thereto through a connection suitably insulated from contact 2|. That is, the arrangement is such that the movable contact 23 may be brought exclusively into engagement with either of the complemental contacts.

Said cover I3 is recessed in one side at 32, and the inner side of the recess is formed by an upright wall 33 in which there is a coin slot 34, and from which protrudes a knob or handle 35. The slot enters a chute by which an inserted coin is conducted to operate, or form part of, a circuit closer, and from which the coin passes to a depository when released from its circuit closing position. The knob is carried by a lever, and is movably downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, with operation of such lever to release a coin from the circuit closing position above referred to, and perform other functions, fully explained in my herein noted parent patent, but unnecessary to the operation of the invention vherein claimed.

'I'he recording mechanism herein shownis organized to make a record of the operations per-A mounted elsewhere in the casing if desired. It,

drives a record carrying drum |I4, which is mounted on one of the cross rods I I3 of the frame, through a train of gearing and shafting consisting o! the worm and wheel couple 93, 91, bevel gear train 91a, 91h, 91c, and 91d, shaft 93, bevel gear pair H9, pinion ||9, and internal gear |20 4secured to the drum.

The location of this drum is such that its upper side is near the cover |3 and is accessible through an opening ||5 in the cover, which is normally closed by" a door or shutter IIE controlled by a lock or latch II1. Suchvlock may be controlled by a special key, or automatically by the means later described in connection with Figs. 10 and 13. The object of this opening is to enable the operator ol a parked car to inscribe the registration number of the car, or his name, or any other identifying insignia, on the record sheet or chart. Such record sheet is shown at I2 I as being a tape or band taken from a supply roll or case |22 and wrapped about drum I I4.

A marker |24 is carried on the extremity of an arm |25 which is connected by a pivot 26 between uprights |21 on a rocking holder, herein designed in the form of a plate |28, which is coupled by lugs and pivots |29 with a carriage |30. The axis of pivots |29 is parallel to the drum, whereby the marker may be brought against the record sheet and withdrawn, and pivot |26 is transverse to the drum to permit movement of the marker back and forth longitudinally thereof, i. e., parallel to the face of the record chart supported by the drum and transversely of the direction in which the chart is propelled. Springs |3| tend to raise plate |29, withdrawing the marker, and springs |32 tend to hold marker arm |25 central with re- ,lpect to the support |21. Three solenoids |33, |34 and |35 are supported by a bracket or ledge umns.

|36 on the carriage. The cores of these solenolds extend from their upper ends and are connected respectively with levers |31, |38 and |39, all of which are pivoted on a common rod |40 on the carriage, and each of which has a curved arm |4| extending upward and back over the edge of plate |28. Thus when any of the solenoidsis rendered active the marker is brought into engagement with the record sheet. The cores of the outer solenoids |33 and |35 are connected by cords or links |42 and |43 respectively with lateral projections or arms |44 and |45 on the marker arm |25; wherefore actuation of solenoid |33 moves the marker to the left, and of |35 moves it to the right (with respect to Fig. 4) as Well as against the record sheet. In this illustration the connectlng members |42 and |43 are flexible cords attached to the pivot pins which connect the solenoid cores with their respective levers |31 and The particular record sheet or chart shown in Figs. 4 and 8 is designed to exhibit the record marking with its parts relating to different days in diierent parts of the width of the sheet. To that end the paper is ruled in parallel columns oi equal width, each appropriated to one Aof a nurnber of successive days, and the marker is shifted sidewise continuously by the width of a column each twenty-four hours. Carriage |30 is adapted to slide sidewise on one of the cross rods I3 and carries on its lower end a half nut- |46 (Fig. 6) adapted to engage the threads of a screw |41 mounted in the frame plates and I |2 parallel to the guide rod I3. In the construction shown, gravity alone furnishes all the fore necessary to maintain engagement of the nut with the screw, permitting it to be readily disengaged when the carriage needs to be reset at the beginning point of its travel. The screw is rotated from the motor M through the gearing 90, 91, 91a and 91o previously described, a shaft |48 on which 91h is secured, and a bevel gear pair |49, one member of which is on shaft |48 and the other on the screw. The speed of rotationof thescrew and the lead of 'its thread are designed with the proper values to shift the carriage across the entire Width of the record sheet in the number of days covered by the record. The sheet is divided by horizontal lines into spaces of hours., or fractions of hours. each time space having a length equal to the distance traveled by the sheet in that length of time.

With the arrangement just described, if the marker were held constantly against the drum, it would draw a straight diagonal line from the upper left hand corner of the chart to the lower right hand corner, crossing the divisions between the adjacent columns at successive twenty-four hour intervals; making the records for Successive days in tandem. However, it is Within my contemplation to Wrap the paper around the drum and secure it. In that case, the drum having a circumference equal .to the length of the chart, and rotating once in twentyfour hours, the records for successive days would be made beside one another in the parallel col- And with no other changes than of dimensions, speed of rotation of the drum, and

rate of traverse of the marker carriage, records for successive twelve hour periods, or periods of any other prescribed length of time, may likewise be made beside one another in parallel columns. That is, separate columns may be made for the forenoon and afternoon records of each day.

The motor which governs the timing and re- `instance, if parking on a certain street, oron one side of a street, is permitted during part of a day and prohibited at times when the traffic is heavy, the motors of the machines at such places might be stopped under automatic or manual control, or disconnected from the driven' mechanism, either automatically or manually, during the prohibited periods; and restarted or reconnected at the end of such periods.

The operation of the invention just described will now be explained with reference to the di'- agram shown in Fig. 9. When an automobile is brought into the correct position in the parking berth, it moves the actuator 2 and shifts the main switch contact 23 from the contact 2|, with which it is normally engaged, to the contact 20. Current then flows from the positive side L of the supply circuit through the connecting conductor 3|, contact 20, and conductor a to a solenoid 14, and thence by conductor b, contacts 63 and 6|, and conductor 65 to the negative side L ofthe line or to ground. Solenoid 11|, being thus made active, by means of its core 13 shifts a switch lever 66 from the position shown in Fig. 9, where a contact 68 carried by said lever engages a stationary contact 10, to the position in which another contact 69 carf ried by the lever engages a fixed contact 1|; and the lever is locked in the latter position by a latch element 19, co-nnected therewith, which then passes over and becomes interlocked with a stud 80 carried by a lever 39, to which the knob is secured. In order to make the required payment for parking, the car operator places a coin or ticket of prescribed value in the slot 34. The coin falls through chute 86 and bridges across the gap between contacts 93 and 94, closing a circuit from line L through conductors d, e, f, g, solenoid 50, and conductors It and i to the return side of the circuit. The operator then grasps the knob 35 and moves it downward, thus releasing latch 19 and allowing lever 66 to be returned to first position by spring 15. At the same time lever 39 releases the coin from its circuit closing position between contacts 93 and 94, and allows it to fall into a depository.

Solenoid |34 is connected by conductors a and u with the main switch contact 20, and by conductors il. and c with ground or the return line of the circuit; solenoid |33 is connected by conductor v with switch contact 10 which controls signal G, and by conductor u' with the return line; and solenoid |35 is connected by conductors ,f and w with the coin controlled switch contact 93 and by conductor w with the return side of the circuit. Thus when the main switch is closed by the automobile in the parking berth, a mark such as those shown at and m2, is made on the record chart which is continued lengthwise of the latter until a coin is placed in the slot. This causes solenoid |35 to be operated and the marker to be shifted to the right, making a mark such as those shown at y and y2. When the car operator thereafter pulls downthe handle 35, solenoid |33 is energized by closing the switch 68, 10 and solenoid |35 is deenergized by passing of the coin out of the chute;

. whereupon the marker is moved to the left and makes a mark such as z or z2. Thereafter, as long as the car remains in the parking space, and until the parking time paid for has expired,

the marker traces a line as a' or a2, longitudinally of the chart with an inclination toward the right. When the car leaves the berth, all the solenoid circuits are broken and the marker is withdrawn from the chart. The inscriptions placed on the record by car operators appear above the markings thus automatically made, as shown by the registration numbers 10, 100 and 20, 100 illustrated in Fig. 8.l

Subsequent payments while the car remains in the berth are recorded by offsets similar to y and z made without a break otherwise in the continuity of lines ysuch as a' and but an open space between such lines shows that the berth has remained unoccupied for a time corresponding to the length of the interruption. If

the driver fails to make payment this fact is shown by the record as well as by the visible signal; while if he deposits the coin but omits to pull down the handle, this fact is shown on the record by a longitudinal line extending from the right hand end of a transverse mark such as y', and shows that, notwithstanding the indication of the visible signal, vthe driver was not delinquent.

Figs. 10-12 show a modification of the recording means in which the laterally movable marker carriage is omitted, the marker is held in a fixed location on the supporting frame, and the record chart is a long tape whereon the records for the several days follow one another in the same column. In this connection there is also illustrated automatic means set into action by or in consequence of the deposit of a coin, for enabling the operator to write his registration number and/ or name, or any other appropriate information, on the record. This is the automatic means previously referred to, which may be applied equally well toI the latching means for the door ||6 shown in Fig. 1l. The specific information given by the present illustration is that the driver of car number 10,100 parked just after 10:3.0 Monday night, paid the required fee, and

left within the hour; and that the driver of car 20,100 entered the same berth at 3 a. m. Wednesday, paid fees then, and at the end of each of the following two hours, and left before the end of the third hour.

A door is provided in the top of the post directly above the table |5| on which the record tape is supported. It is tted with a spring |52 tending to throw it open, and is normally locked by a latch |53 which is projected by a spring |54 into the notch of a lug |55 on the door and is coupled with the core of a solenoid |56v so as to be released when the solenoid is energized. The solenoid winding is connected, as shown in Fig. 13, by conductor b with a switch contact |51 carried by the manually operated lever 39, the complemental contact |58 of which is connected with the positive side of the current source through the conductor d previously described and a conductor c. The terminal of the solenoid is connected by conductors d and e with the negative side of the ourcuit. Thus when the operator pulls' down the handle of lever 39 the door is released and files open, and the record is exposed for inscription on it of the operators registra- 1 of gravity and aspring |66 conned between the solenoid spool and arm |63. The terminals of the solenoid winding are connected by a conductor n with the conductor f leading'from the coin controlled switch, and by conductors h and e' with the return side of the circuit. Thus when the coin is deposited, the striker is displaced to press the paper against the nozzle of the lnk tount, from which the paper is normally sepa.- rated. It will be understood that the nozzle oritice is so narrow as to prevent drippingr of ink on the paper. This form of marking means may be replaced by equivalent means of specifically different character. It is preferably located beside the marker |24 on the same line perpendicular to the length of the record sheet, as indicated by the marks shown in Fig. l2, although in Fig. 10

25 it is represented, for clearness of illustration, as displaced along the tape. However, it may be placed anywhere and its indications read with due allowance for its known distance of displacement irom the other markings on the sheet.

Fig. 10 shows also an alternative means for driving the record tape occasioned by the fact that it may be of great length and that its support is a stationary table. It is provided on a supply spool |61 mounted on a cross rod ||3a 35. of the marker supporting frame, and is driven by a pair of rolls |66 and |69 between which it passes. Roll |69 is spring pressed toward the other and against the tape, while roll |68 is^ positively driven by helical gears |16 and I 1|,

` the former being on a shaft 98a, corresponding to shaft 98 of the preceding description, and

the other being on shaft |12 of the roll. In al1 other respects the recording means and the parts thereof are like the means previously described and are designated by the same reference characters, except only that the record tape, being specically different from the chart l2 I, is designated as |2|a. The diagram Fig. 13 is intended toshow additions to, not substitutions for, the

elements shown in Fig. 9. It is tobe understood that these additionsare used in conjunction with the signaland record-controlling devices shown in Fig. 9 and previously describ Y What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A parking register comprising a main actuator movable by a car placed in parking position, a coin receiver, means for supporting and propelling a record chart, a marker for inscribing on said chart normally removed therefrom, means for bringing the marker into contact with the chart when the main actuator is so moved, and means controlled by a coin deposited in said receiver for imparting a distinctive Ascribing movee5 ment to the marker. 2. A parking register comprising a hollow post having a cover. means in the post for supporting and propelling a record chart with a portion thereof near the.cover, a door in the cover over said portion of the chart adapted to be opened to permit access of a person to the chart .for writing thereon, an automatic marker for inscrlbing the chart, and coin controlled means in the post, operable by a coin therein for causing said marker to inscribethe chart.

3. `A parking register comprising an electric switch closable by a parked automobile, a record chart,4motor driven means for propelling said chart, a marker normally displaced from the chart, means operable by closing of said switch 5 for bringing themarkeragainst the chart, a coin receiver, and means operated by a coin in said receiver for sluiting the marker across the chart.

4. A parking vregister comprising an enclosed casing related to a parking berth, a record chart 10 and means for propelling the same located in said casing, a marker in the casing normally displaced `from the chart, means operated by an automobile placed in such berth for bringing the marker against the chart, a coin receiver in the casing, 15 means actuated by a coin therein to shift the marker over the chart in one direction transverse to the direction of propelled travel of the chart, a manually movable member, and means operable by said member for shifting the marker 20 in the opposite direction to that in which it is shifted by deposit of a coin.

5. A recording apparatus comprising a record chart, means for propelling said chart, a marker, means for supporting the marker movably so that it may move toward and away from the surface of the chart and also shift parallel with the face, and laterally across the path of movement, of the chart, constantly acting yieldable means tending to place and hold said support- 30 ing means with the marker in a normal position displaced from the chart, and a plurality of operating devices, each actuable independently of the other and operative to shift the marker into contact with the chart, and one of them being 35 organized to displace the marker laterally at the same time.

6. A recording apparatus comprising a record chart, means for propelling said chart continuously during an extended time period,` a marker 4.0 mounted adjacent to said chart with capacity for movement into and out of contact with the surface thereof and being adapted to inscribe a line on such surface when held in contact therewith and' the chart is propelled at the same time, the 45 marker being normally Withdrawn from said surface and also being movable transversely of the travel of the chart, a plurality of electromagnets coupled with the marker for pressing it against the chart and one of them organized to 50 move the marker transversely as well, and

'switches separately connected in the circuits of the different electromagnets.

'1. In a recording mechanism, a record chart,

means for propelling said chart, guiding. means 55. `arranged to cause movement of the chart in a given path, a stationary marker adjacent to said guiding means and near to, but displaced from the normal path of the chart, a striker operable to shift the chart from its normal path into con- 5o tact with said marker, electromagnetic means for so actuating said striker, a coin receiver, and means operated by a coin in said receiver for causingv said electromagnetic means to actuate the striker. l 6r 8. A recording apparatus comprising means for supporting and propelling a record chart, a marker, a holder for said marker movable to shift the latter toward and away from the chart and with which the marker is connected in a manner 70 permitting it to move laterally of the movements toward and away from the chart, yielding means acting on said holder and marker normally holding the marker away from the chart and in a mid-position with respect to its scope of lateral 75 movements, and a pluralityof separate actuating devices, one of which is operable to move said holder so as to bring the marker against the chart, and the others respectively to move the marker to right or left of said central position in marking contact with the chart.

9. A recording apparatus comprising means for supporting and propelling a record chart, a marker, a holder for said marker movable to carry the marker toward and away from the chart, an arm pivoted to said holder on an axis extending in the general direction of said movements, on which arm the marker is mounted1 yielding means acting on the holder and on the arm respectively so as to displace the marker from the chart and hold it in a given position with respect to its scope of movement about the pivot axis, three levers engaged with said holder and each adapted to shift the holder into a position for effecting contact between the marker and chart, and connections between two of said levers and the marker carrying arm whereby operation of one of such two levers shifts the arm to the right and operation of the other shifts the arm to the left.

10. A parking register comprising a main actuator movable by a car being placed in parking location, a coin receiver, a manual actuator, means for supporting and propelling a record chart, a marker cooperatively mounted with respect to said chart, a plurality of devices each operable by said main actuator, by a coin in said receiver, and by said manual actuator, respectively, and connections between each of said devices andthe marker for causing the marker to make distinct markings on the chart.

11. A parking register comprising an electric switch closable by a parked automobile, a record chart, motor driven means for propelling said chart, a coin receiver, a marker normally displaced from the chart, electromagnetic means in circuit with said switch and connected with the marker to cause the latter to make a distinctive mark on the chart when the switch is closed, and means controlled by a coin in said receiver for .effecting a mark-producing engagement between the marker and chart.

12. A parking register comprising a supporting structure,A an electric switch in said structure, an external switch actuator located in such position that it can be engaged and moved to close said switch by an automobile placed adjacent to the supporting structure, a record chart within said supporting structure, motor driven means for propelling said chart, a marker in cooperative proximity to said chart, and electromagnetic means operable by closing of said switch and connected with said marker to cause the latter to make a distinctive marking on the chart.

13. A recording apparatus comprising a record chart, means for propelling said chart continuously during an extended time period, a marker mounted adjacent to said chart with capacity for movement toward and away from the surface thereof and also in directions parallel to such surface and transverse to the movement of the chart, such marker being adapted to inscribe a line on such surface when held in contact therewith and the chart is propelled at the same time, the marker being normally withdrawn from said surface, an actuator movable back and forth between two positions, means controlled by said actuator organized to exert force to the marker tending to place and hold it against the chart so long as said actuator is in one of said positions, and other actuating means organized to apply force to said marker to move it transversely of the chart while in contact therewith.

14. A recording apparatus comprising ay record. chart, means for propelling said chart continuously during an extended time period, a marker mounted adjacent to said chart with capacity for movement into and out of contact with the surface thereof and being adapted to inscribe a line on such surface when held in contact therewith and the chart is propelled at the same time, the marker being normally withdrawn from said surface and also being movable transversely of the travel of the chart, an actuator independent of the chart-propelling means for bringing and holding the marker in contact with the chart, and coin-controlled means for thus transversely moving the marker while in contact with the chart.

ROGER W. BABSON. 

